The Institutional Library

'va lNCE ^rst e(^'on this most valuable text-book ,. Published nearly thirty years have elapsed, years in ^u'h enormous strides in medical understanding have en made. The war interrupted its Usual triennial ^'pearance in completely revised form, but at the close hostilities the author turned actively to work on his of the revision for the present edition, and this was jj 'Cally completed at the onset of his last illness. As

classification of disease is of such obvious and well-""wn difficulty that one must, in parts, compromise ^ "ist any rigid plan, but there is no doubt that in e volttme before us the choice has fallen on that conption which gives tlie maximum of assistance, both ' *''e student and the profession in general. ,IE first of the articles reprinted in this brochure ^^"ed the Morison Lectures delivered by Dr. Rows at J,' '"hurgh early in this year; the second is by Dr. Orr, I vje 'S ',lclll(led " in order to present a more comprehensive ; pr ?f the various factors which regulate normal mental ha\<e8SeS an^ assist in determining mental illnesses," it j heen possible "only to touch lightly on the im-| ?>ii(]<lnee ^le endocrinic glands in nervous physiology i Pathology." The investigations were made not only ! ^ '"S soldiers who had broken down under the strain of i 0J-hut information was also derived from cases which j j^'rred in the civilian population. Their conclusions are based upon conscientious renoc ail(^ even those who do not agree with them cannot ^jSe them of hasty generalisation. p, ^ntal disorder is too frequently considered from the s,e ^ "mental" point of view. It is true that "the 1)(1 the processes underlying mental phenomena is to aD ?UT>d in the cortex cerebri"?though even this is \V]1(| ently not understood or taken into account by those fiirti1?Ca^se cl'sor^er in a supposititious " mind." But, nrg,(r(er' "the interactions between the brain and the of thS hody, as well as those between the organs anc' hrain, must be understood before we ln a position to comprehend and to explain the complex symptomatology of functional mental illnesses." It is necessary to understand how the integration?or building up?of the nervous system takes place by the aggregation of simple reflexes and the evolution of the more complex system of inhibitions or conditional reflexes. Many and various stimuli act 011 the body and eventually an organism more or less adapted to its environment results.
These stimuli may be of a certain character and are called " psychic," while others are spoken of as " physical." The nervous mechanism is delicately adjusted and may easily be put-out of gear, more especially if substances such as the internal secretions are diminished or are in excess.
Some stimuli of a disturbing nature, with their associated unpleasant emotional correlatives, may dominate, consciously or unconsciously, mental functioning, and until this stream of energy is checked or diverted, the patient is ill. A vicious circle may be established. Morbid mental stimulus or psychic trauma brings about changes in the physiological mechanism of the endocrino-sympathetic system, and this in its turn interferes with the proper functioning of the central nervous system. This is but a brief sketch of some of the points discussed in these most interesting papers. It may serve to show, however, that t.he whole question of mental disorder is not quite so simple as some appear to imagine. Drs. Orr and Rows are of opinion that an optimistic position may be taken up as to the future treatment of mental illnesses, provided they are dealt with in the primary stage. .

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Remedial treatment of deformities of whatever kind unless accompanied by carefully selected home exercises may fail to accomplish fully the purpose, for the patient is apt to resume, between the treatments, the posture or habit which contributed to the deformity. The author of these home exercises, when he published the first edition of the work some years ago, addressed himself to the subject in a practical manner, and succeeded in producing a text-book written in popular language which the medical practitioner might usefully pass on to his patient-s to aid them in the correct execution of such selected exercises as the conditions might indicate. The simple exposition on the construction of the spinal column and the reference to the chief factors contributing to deformities contained an the opening chapters are especially useful, for there can be no surer aid to the correct performance of any exercise than a practical knowledge of its purpose. These chapters might be perused with advantage by all parents. The exercises are lucidly described and well illustrated ; their merit lies in their simplicity, and their value has been amply demonstrated. The edition under January 1, 1921.
The Institutional Library?(continued). review includes a chapter dealing with some of the milder degrees of foot deformity, of frequent occurrence in children suffering from spinal curvature. We are glad to note that the author lays stress upon the periodical supervision of the patient. The book contains, therefore, nothing in the way of elaborate descriptions of technique, but in simple language it states the principal facts relating to continuous and interrupted, high-frequency and diathermy, currents; static electricity; radium and z-rays.

Electro-Therapy: its
In Part II. there is given a comprehensive list of diseases in which it is reasonable to apply electrotherapy. The cardinal symptoms of the various affections are stated. In malignant disease the author is insistent that, where operation is possible, it should be followed by raying treatment, and that electro-therapy should never be used alone save in inoperable cases.
Undoubtedly there seems to be a very important future for this branch of science, and we can heartily recommend the book to all who wish to know the extent of its present sphere of usefulness.
The Prevention and Destruction of Rats. This is one of the most practical of tl]e small books upon rat destruction which we have had opportunity of reading. The author writes from personal experience and makes an exhaustive list of rat-catching methods and contrivances. A useful point, and an essential one in that it is so often missed, is the fact that full references and names are given, enabling the reader easily to obtain the various traps and apparatus mentioned. Most of us know the danger of the rat scourge, but few know how to catch these pests in quantities. The author provides that information and in easily readable form.

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A Synopsis of Sureery. By Ernest W. Hey Groves.
(Bristol : John Wright & Sons, Ltd. Price 17s. 6d. Fifth Edition.) The concise descriptions and orderly arrangement of this book have for same years past been of the greatest assistance to students in cataloguing knowledge gained from experience in the wards and from the more exhaustive text-books on surgery.
By bringing the work up to date, especially in respect of experience gained in war surgery, the author has given to the busy practitioner an opportunity to keep in touch with this ever-advancing science.
Selected Lectures and Essays. By Sir John Bland Sutton. London : Wm. Heinemann. (Medical Books, . Ltd.) The fourth edition of this interesting publication is well "produced, and the collection of most interesting and varied papers it contains cannot fail to attract a J"e larger circle of readers. Collected and presented to medical world as a reminder of the many hours whiC" the author spent with his "old students," they still for?> although most have been published elsewhere, a delig^* ful and fascinating volume. dimensions with complete and mutual reciprocation tween employers and employees. She particularly aims a eliminating the mistake of regarding the welfare worke as a charitable installation, or an act of philanthrop without profit, but, with Jull co-operation and a cor1^ sponding improvement in personnel and output, the Pr? sence of the welfare worker can be abundantly justify The subject of welfare is a large one, and its succeSSh0 and wise administration a profound study to those vV would adopt it. There is much practical advice and ^ to be gleaned from this " Guide to Welfare Work," an it is to be thoroughly recommended.
A Pocket-Book of Ophthalmology.
By ^"^g,